Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions of people each year. It occurs when your body isn’t producing enough insulin, or it isn’t able to use the insulin it does produce effectively.
The good news is that it can be cured and prevented or delayed by diet, exercise and medication. It is also essential to know the symptoms, so you can determine whether you are suffering from a condition and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic illness (long-lasting) that alters how your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or is unable to properly use it.
Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells absorb and use sugar, which is called glucose. Type 2 diabetics don’t make enough insulin or are unable to use it correctly.
In both types of diabetes, blood sugar levels become too high in time. This can lead to problems with the eyes, feet and kidneys. It can also damage the blood vessels in your heart as well as the brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that your immune system attacks the pancreatic cells that produce insulin, and destroys them. This process can last for several months or even years, eventually resulting in an absence of insulin.
Insulin is required by people who suffer from type 1 diabetes each day. They must also monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and levels of exercise to keep their blood sugar in the normal range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes the body does not make use of insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone which helps your cells to remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells, where it can be used as energy.
Type 2 diabetics need to exercise and eat a healthy diet. They may also need to take medications to control their blood sugar levels.
Diabetes in women symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects people of all races and ethnic groups and ages as well as genders. Women are more susceptible than men.
Women with diabetes are more likely to suffer from complications, including heart disease (the most frequent complication of diabetes) and loss of vision.
Polydipsia can be a warning sign for diabetes in women. This is because diabetes can cause excess sugar to build up in your blood and kidneys are unable to eliminate it.
Diabetes in men: Symptoms
In the case of diabetes it is when cells are unable make use of blood sugar (glucose) for energy. This is usually because the pancreas produces too little insulin.
This causes high blood sugar levels. Your body will then try to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose in your bloodstream through urine.
Patients with diabetes are usually thirsty, and they have to drink plenty of fluids.
Men also may lose weight as their bodies use muscles for energy instead of fat. This is because their blood sugar levels stay high for long periods.
Diabetes diet
The development of a healthy diabetes diet is a key element in managing your condition. It can help manage blood sugar levels and weight, as well as reduce the risk factors that can lead to heart disease.
Your diet should consist of plenty of whole foods, such as fruits, whole grains, vegetables beans, low-fat dairy and legumes. It should be free of saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You might also be able to reduce the amount of sweetened drinks with sugar you consume. These drinks typically contain plenty of sugar in them, which can lead to high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may suggest diabetes medications to help keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in the normal range. These drugs are often paired with lifestyle changes, like diet and physical activity, to manage the condition.
If your blood sugar is not being controlled by one medicine, you may need to take a different medication. Your doctor will assist you to choose the most appropriate medicine for your needs and preferences.
The latest medications, including sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like antagonists of the peptide-1 receptor, reduce blood sugar and offer benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while reducing the risk of developing complications. They also aid in weight loss, and they come in both tablets and injections.